An's Appearance
An is the god of the sky. He is the oldest god in the Sumerian pantheon. As he is the father of Enlil, he is depicted as being 20 years older than Enlil, i.e. around 85 years old. His appearance is described as majestic and exalted. An is often described as a god on a throne, which emphasizes his role as ruler of heaven and supreme god. The throne symbolizes his authority and his position at the head of the divine pantheon.
An's Personality
An is considered the supreme god of the Sumerian pantheon, giving him an exalted and majestic presence. As An is the progenitor and origin of many other gods, he is often depicted as the father figure of the gods. An possesses an all-encompassing power that makes him a central point of reference for other gods who seek his approval. His personality embodies stability, order and harmony, making him a foundation of the Sumerian worldview. His presence guarantees the continuity of the natural and divine order. Unlike some other gods, however, who often actively intervene in human affairs, An remains distant and abstract. He oversees the universe from his heavenly throne without directly interfering in the daily affairs of humans.
An's Duties as a God
An is the highest god in the Sumerian pantheon and rules over the heavens. He is regarded as one of the original creators of the universe and is the father of many important gods. He ensures that the natural and divine order is maintained. His approval and blessing were necessary for the rule of both gods and humans.
The Career of An
According to the myth Enki and Ereshkigal, the sky god An was initially married to the earth goddess Ninhursag and fathered their son Enlil with her. However, Enlil caused the separation of An and Ninhursag, whereupon the heavens also separated from the earth and the earth as we know it came into being.
An had his temple E-ana built in heaven and tied much of his power to this temple. This becomes clear in the myth Inanna and An. When his great-granddaughter Inanna grew up, she wanted him to give her the temple so that she could erect it in Uruk. As An did not agree to this, she and her brother Utu stole the temple and brought it to earth. As a result, An lost a large part of his influence on earth. However, An eventually realized that the temple was more useful on earth.
An is one of the few gods not assigned a task by Enki in the myth of Enki and the World Order, which underlines his high position in the pantheon.
An intervenes when the other gods are at a loss. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, for example, An provided his great-granddaughter Inanna with the celestial bull with which she wanted to destroy Gilgamesh, who was threatening the project of the gods in the cedar forest. In the Myth of Anzu, when Anzu stole the tablet of destiny, An is the one of the gods who takes the initiative and searches for a solution to restore divine order.
